The rest of the hour-long episode was instead focused solely on pushing forward all of the extra game elements that come with the special double eviction episode.

Conversely, when the first allegations against Moonves came out in July, Chen immediately took to Twitter to defend the man she not only married but for whom she also works. "Leslie is a good man and a loving father, devoted husband and inspiring corporate leader," she tweeted at the time. "He has always been a kind, decent and moral human being. I fully support my husband and stand behind him and his statement."

This Big Brother episode marks Chen's first time on television since Moonves was ousted. She sat out the first few shows of The Talk's ninth season, which she co-hosts, earlier this week. At the time, she released a statement that said she would be spending time with family but planned to be back on-air in time for the next live episode of Big Brother. She did just that but still has yet to make a statement about how she feels about the recent allegations against and investigation into Moonves. Meanwhile, her Talk co-hosts all already spoke out in support of transparency when it comes to CBS releasing the results of that investigation.

"How are women ever going to feel comfortable in the workplace if they still think that power and money will be held over their heads?" Sharon Osbourne said on the daytime talker Tuesday. "It's never going to end. It shouldn't be allowed for anybody to have the verdict kept sealed. It's not fair to women. It will never end."

(CBS)

Since Chen was not absent from Big Brother (the prior live episode she hosted aired last Thursday, Sept. 6, days before Moonves' exit), Chen's lack of acknowledgement of what was going on behind-the-scenes may not have been unexpected for viewers, nor CBS insiders, some of whom just yesterday told Variety the atmosphere within CBS in general was a range of "business as usual to resignation." Additionally, contestants within the house are cut off from news of the outside world and do not know what is going on at the network to which they devoted their summers.

(Getty)

But as time ticks on and further details about the extent of Moonves' abusive conduct continue to emerge -- Chen's on-air return came less than an hour after Variety posted a report on the "dark side" of working for him, for example -- Chen's cone of silence on the topic may become increasingly harder to accept.

This article was originally published on Variety with the title 'Julie Chen Returns to 'Big Brother,' Signs Off Using Moonves Name'.